Chapter 133 — Team of Ten: Survival in the Martial Arts World
Three months passed in the blink of an eye since Seo-woon began his real-world training. Although he had yet to reach Level 100, he had finally grasped the nature of Seonma-gi to a reasonable degree.
"It's time to move up."
Juriell, Li Ling-wei, and Ki-chan—who had barely left the training grounds in Wonju ever since returning from Russia—stood before Seowoon as he finished his daily training.
"Yes. Tomorrow is a big day," Ki-chan said.
The family that Karina had asked to find land for her had finally completed their search. Tomorrow, they would move into their new home. Since her conditions were a bit demanding, Karina eventually chose to build a house from scratch.
The fact that construction was completed in just three months was almost entirely thanks to Seo-woon's reputation. Permits, temporary utilities—everything was approved almost instantly. The government's extraordinary level of cooperation was only natural, since every nation knew the truth behind the chaos in Russia. Very few countries in the world dared oppose Seo-woon.
South Korea was certainly not one of them.
Seo-woon had several requirements for the new house:
— It had to be in Incheon.
— No two-story structure (bad for his family's joints).
— A quiet neighborhood.
— Full amenities within reach.
— Parking must not be a problem.
Karina built a single-story house with a spacious garden to satisfy all of Seo-woon's requests. Although Seo-woon covered the full cost, it hardly made a dent in his finances. After receiving 140 billion won from selling the belongings of the three brothers—and splitting the 100 billion won reward with Ki-chan—he still had over 120 billion won left.
Once his balance had surpassed one hundred billion, Seo-woon stopped caring about the exact amount. His special Swedish account yielded a tax-free annual interest rate of nine percent, calculated daily. Unless he checked every day, it was impossible to keep track.
"Let's go."
The four prepared to run—but suddenly froze.
[Ding! A new game has been matched. Difficulty: Lowest. Game version: 10-Team Mode. Would you like to join? (O) / (X)]
The four exchanged looks.
"Lowest difficulty?" Juriell said, brightening.
"This is a rare chance for our rank," Ki-chan added.
Seo-woon narrowed his eyes. "Still… something's off. We haven't received matchmaking for a while, and suddenly we're put into a ten-team game? Lowest difficulty? What are they planning?"
"'They'?" Li Ling-wei asked.
Seo-woon shook his head. "No point overthinking. Ask the others if they want to join."
He opened the team's live chat—everyone agreed instantly.
Seo-woon pressed O.
"See you inside."
A familiar warm light enveloped their bodies. The scenery shifted into a forest—similar to previous maps, yet distinctly different.
Ignoring the rank indicator floating above his head, Seo-woon scanned the surroundings. More and more players were logging in.
"Thank you for joining Cloyd Survival."
"10,000 players connected. Cloyd Survival has begun."
"Language synchronization rate… 23%… 93%… 100% complete."
— The game has started. Difficulty: Low. Enter the top 9,900 to survive.
— The designated map is Gangbuk Palju. Rewards will be granted from the top 100 upward.
— This game lasts 500 days. There are no map restrictions outside the designated area. All players share the same real time and space.
— This is the 10-Team Version. Select your team by targeting them.
— The game ends when the last team survives or when time runs out.
— Failure to place in the top 9,900 will permanently revoke access to Cloyd Survival.
"Brother!"
"Seo-woon!"
The familiar faces around him were pale and tense.
"What… is this?" Nam Sa-gwang muttered.
Seo-woon was silent for a long moment before speaking.
"The operator has completely lost their mind."
Ki-chan swallowed hard. "Is it… what I think it is?"
Seo-woon nodded. "Sharing time and space means—"
"No way!" Juriell gasped. "They moved the map to the real world?!"
Li Ling-wei shouted in disbelief. Ki-chan immediately covered his mouth, but the damage was done—10,000 players erupted into a commotion.
Until now, the game had only replicated real-world locations as maps. But this time, the world itself was the stage.
Time would proceed normally. Death, destruction—everything would have real consequences.
"The world can… turn into a map," Ki-chan whispered.
Seo-woon nodded grimly.
This was no longer a game.
Ordinary civilians lived in these lands. Ten thousand ability users rampaging freely would be an unprecedented catastrophe.
Jin-ryong and Lee Min grew increasingly anxious—both their homes, Yugokmun and Jindokgok, were located in Gangbuk Palju.
"If they're using the real world… then we basically have an extra life here," Nam Sa-gwang muttered.
Everyone agreed.
"This is completely different from all previous versions," Seo-woon said. "The operator's intention is the key."
Lee Min tilted his head. "Maybe it has something to do with reducing the player count in the last ranked season?"
Seo-woon nodded. It made sense—but he still couldn't find the final connection.
"How does lowering the player count relate to sharing time and space…?"
Ling-wei raised a hand. "Forget that for now. If players mingle with civilians, how do we even tell them apart?"
The team fell silent.
"The game's pace will slow drastically. It may actually last the full 500 days," Lee Min added. "If we disappear from our world for that long…"
The air grew heavy.
"…it will flip everything upside down."
Seo-woon finally spoke. "First, judge by appearance—anyone hiding their face or unnatural features is suspicious. Next, accessories."
Juriell nodded. "And we must sense mana waves. At least one magician is guaranteed per team in a ten-team game."
More detection methods were discussed.
Time flew by. Soon, the system announced the final preparation phase.
— Main Rewards:
• World Departure Ticket
• Player Rights Renewal Ticket
• Seven-Star Amulet
• Commander's Blessing Ring
• War God's Armor
Players murmured restlessly.
Then the main quest appeared.
Ding!
Main Quest: Kill every human living in this world!
If your team kills 1,000 civilians, your team will clear the quest!
Shock rippled through the crowd.
The excited system voice continued:
— Each human life grants a normal token.
— Killing a player grants a special token, redeemable at the item vending machine.
Seo-woon shouted before the next notice could continue.
"DON'T FALL FOR THEIR TRICKS! If we kill civilians here, the same thing could happen in our real world! We can't kill anyone except players!"
Silence fell.
The game's announcements stopped mid-sentence.
Then—
— You will now see through the eyes of Argas. Using Argas's sky-piercing vision, you may land safely anywhere by shouting 'Landing.'
— Those who fail to land will be dropped at the final destination.
— Game preparation continues…
As Argas's vast field of vision expanded, panicked voices from another team echoed around them.
"Brother! What do we do?!"
"This isn't normal!"
"Are they insane?!"
Seo-woon's mind moved instantly.
"Everyone quiet! Sa-hyung! Ling-wi!"
"Speak."
"Speak."
"You two need to help me. First—we must warn the inhabitants of this world! We're landing near your family."
The two nodded immediately.
"Mark the landing spot! Everyone remember—every player is a potential killer. Eliminate them without hesitation."
A valley appeared below—deep between two high mountains.
"Landing!" Seo-woon shouted.
They dove at maximum speed.
"No players nearby," Ki-chan reported.
"But a lot are heading toward Soeungseong!" Lee Min added.
"They want to blend into the crowd…! We must warn the civilians!" Seo-woon growled. "Ling-wei! Move!"
"Understood!"
They landed, sprinting immediately.
Soon, a sign appeared—Jindok Valley—followed by an old wooden gate enveloped in white mist.
The group halted simultaneously. Someone was hiding.
"Show yourselves!" Seo-woon pulled out a wooden plaque bearing a red seal.
Dozens of warriors revealed themselves, kneeling.
"We greet the Young Master!"
"There's no time. Clear the way! We must meet the old master!"
The mist parted, revealing the path to Jindokgok's main gate.
They rushed through the inner grounds, ignoring the scenery. Guards recognized Ling-wei and guided them toward Sugeumryeon.
Upon entering, they found an old man quietly contemplating a lotus floating atop a small pond.
"Grandfather!"
The elderly man turned—his expression shifting through shock, longing, joy, and deep worry.
"Weya…"
He embraced Ling-wei, trembling—not that Ling-wei noticed the old man's surprisingly firm strength.
"This… is no ordinary elder," Seo-woon thought.
Ling-wei slipped from her grandfather's grasp, her face red.
The old man observed the group. His gaze sharpened when it landed on Ki-chan, and a heavy aura burst forth.
Not murderous intent, but a sorrowful pressure—born from the thought of losing his granddaughter to another world.
Ki-chan instinctively stepped back, but Seo-woon blocked him.
The old man's lips curled upward. Just as he prepared to raise his aura—
"Enough," Nam Sa-gwang said calmly.
Only then did the old man notice the youth at the rear.
"You… are his friend?"
"Yes, Grandfather. They're all the comrades I told you about."
The old man squinted. "…Why is this one so quiet?"
Nam Sa-gwang scoffed. "Says the relic who only crawled out right before I went into seclusion. You think age alone lets you compete with me?"
The old man's brows twitched.
He leaned toward Liling-wei. "Nam… Sa-gwang? Evil Nam Sa-gwang?! This one is—"
He bowed his head deeply.
"It is an honor to meet the master of Ilcheonmun."
At the mention of Ilcheonmun, everyone in the area tilted their heads.
The term "Wei Yao Yitian" had once been the symbol of pride among orthodox sects, representing the greatest martial artist of an era.
But now, with the Namsagwang Sect—whose teachings passed down through a single lineage—nearly extinct, the title had become almost unknown.
"But back then, that appearance…"
Seeing the old man preparing to ask a barrage of questions about Nam Sa-gwang's youth, Li Ling-wi quickly cut him off.
"Grandfather! Now is not the time to talk about such things!"
Surprised by his granddaughter's urgency, the old man blinked.
There were so many questions he wanted to ask:
How had she returned?
How had she ended up with Nam Sa-gwang, a master from the previous generation?
And among those men… who was he supposed to hate?
Suppressing his thoughts, the old man turned his attention to his charming granddaughter.
His gaze settled on her lips, and his expression gradually hardened.